How Neona Should Not Exist, and How She Doesn't Care
by sagekat12
Summary: Neona should not exist. But she doesn't care about that. Here she is, existing! And here is a story about her, this wonderful (and existing) girl, born to the Goddess of the Moon, the Hunt, and Maidens. (T for paranoia)
1. Chapter 1

The moon was full and bright, as the goddess of the moon, the hunt, and of maidens, Artemis, was sitting calmly in a clearing, deep in the woods. The pale, silvery moonlight shone down on her, illiminating her pale skin and long auburn hair, and the black lashes that brushed her cheeks. The goddess was meditating, and an energy seemed to be gathering around her. It was completely silent in the clearing.

The goddess opened her silvery eyes and splayed her fingers. Carefully, she wove the moonlight through her fingers, gathering it together, shaping it, until she had it the way she wanted. Artemis took a lock of her hair, and dissolved it in the moonnlight. Then she took a hunting knife, and made a small, shallow cut on her arm. Golden ichor welled up, and she waited until it was enough before pouring that into the moonlight.

There was a small glass vial next to her. In it was a single drop of human blood. This, she added to her moonlight.

Artemis placed her creation gently on the wide, flat stone beside her in the clearing, where the glow of the moon hit it fully, and waited.

Hours passed, and Artemis did not move a muslce. There was not a sinlge sound nor stirring in the clearing or forest surrounding it.

And then, a wail pierced the silence. The wail of a newly born baby. Immediately, Artemis leapt to her feet and gathered her creation in her arms. It was no longer a mixture of moonlight and blood, magic and hair, but a baby. A baby girl. Born to Artemis without a man to aid her. She had done it.

The baby had thick locks of auburny-brown hair that curled over the top of her head, and soft, pale skin that reflected the moonlight. Artemis rocked her child in her arms and whispered to her, until the girl evenually stopped. When the girl opened her eyes, Artemis saw that they were a silvery blue color that reminded her of a blue moon.

So that her child would not grow cold, Artemis created soft blankets of moonlight that solidified and wrapped around the baby girl. The child snuggled into the blankets, and closer to Artemis, closing her bright eyes sleepily.

Artemis smiled down at her baby, and whispered, "Neona. My daughter."

Then she turned and walked back through the woods to her Hunters.

* * *

><p><strong>I know this is short, and you all must be thinking, "Artemis with a baby... has this author done her research?" and "Where is the Percy Jackson stuff?" but fear not, this is basically the prologue, and Artemis' kid shall be explained. If y'all want me to... So review if you want me to, otherwise I will just forget about it and eat cheese in a corner. So, yeah. Bye!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

Neona Lunae sat crouched in a tree, scanning the shadowy forest for her prey. She pushed her light brown hair out of her face and squinted her silvery-blue eyes, searching and listening.

A twig snapped. A second later, a buck leaped through the bushes beneath her. Neona dropped out of the tree and took off after the deer, feet flying lightly across the forest floor. She caught up in seconds, and could hear the buck's heavy breathing. Her silver bow appeared in her hand as she pushed off of a tree to the side in order to spring in front of the deer. One more push of this tree, aaannd-

_SNAP!_

Her arrow flew off the string and caught the buck in the neck. Neona landed on the ground with barely a whisper, and her bow disappeared. She waited a moment as the buck died, and calmly whispered a thanks to the buck for being caught, along with a blessing so that the buck would have a nice, hunter-free afterlife.

Neona grabbed hold of the buck's big rack of antlers and began dragging it back to camp. This was the hardest part. The buck was heavy. After a minute of yanking the buck along, Neona gave up and whistled loudly. A moment later, Hunter dogs pulling a sled raced to a stop beside her. Gratefully, Neona heaved the animal's dead body onto the sled, then whistled again, not as loudly. The dogs took off, and Neona raced after them.

* * *

><p>Back at the Hunters' camp, Neona unloaded her kill and cleaned it, putting the antlers aside for someone else to deal with. When at last, everything was done, she had a nice pile of meat to go with the rest of the venison, and some deerskin to put to use later. It was getting quite dark, and the stars were appearing.<p>

Neona dragged herself to her tent, exhausted. Inside her furnished tent, she tossed her weapons to the side and threw herself facedown on the thick fur rug. "Uuurrgh," she groaned into the fur. "I'm so tired of this."

"Tired of what?"

"AAH!" Neona yelped and spun around, grabbing one of her discarded daggers and holding it out defensively.

"Relax, it's only me." A tall girl, who looked about sixteen, with dark hair, electric blue eyes, and a punkish style stepped further into the tent.

"Oh, hi, Thalia." Neona relaxed and set her knife down. "What are you doing here?"

Thalia shrugged. "Just visiting, I guess. I wanted to see how you are. What was it you were saying about being tired of something?"

"Oh, nothing," Neona said, waving her hand dismissively. "Just talking to myself absentmindedly. Nothing to concern yourself with."

Thalia raised her eyebrows. "Oh, yeah?" she asked, crossing her arms, a playful smile on her face.

"Uh huh." Neona leaned back and crossed her own arms. "Change the subject."

"Seriously, tell me what's up," Thalia pressed. She sat down and leaned forward curiously.

"_Nothing,_ Thalia, I told you."

Eyebrow raise.

*sigh* "Fine, since I know you won't stop asking."

Thalia grinned and leaned back, waiting.

"It's just," Neona began, not sure how to express her thoughts. She had never been good at the whole, "share your feelings" complex. "It's just, I'm sort of tired of all this."

"All what?"

"Just - just all _this_!" Neona flapped her hands helplessly. "Living like this!"

"You're tired of being a Hunter?" Thalia asked with disbelief written all over her face.

"Well, no, not really, I guess," Neona corrected, backtracking. "I'm tired of... of the same thing. It's camping. Now, I like camping and all, but I don't like this whole moving everything myself, I mean, what's wrong with keeping all of my stuff in one place while I hunt all day?"

Thalia had an odd look on her face.

Neona started to panic a little. "I mean- what I mean is- I guess I'm just- aargh! I give up! I can't do it."

She looked at Thalia to see if her expression had changed at all. Thalia had pressed her lips together and raised her eyebrows, creating an "okay-I'm-going-to-nod-quietly-like-I-don't-think-you-are-crazy-but-on-the-inside-I'm-already-deciding-which-mental-hospital-to-send-you-to" face.

"Well?" asked Neona.

Thalia kept nodding.

And nodding.

And nodding.

And-

"Say something!" blurted out Neona. "This is so awkward!"

Thalia finally stopped nodding and sighed. "I think maybe you should talk to Lady Artemis about this," she said.

"NO!" Neona shouted. Thalia looked startled. "I mean," Neona amended. "She just wouldn't understand."

"I wouldn't understand what?"

"AAH!" screeched Neona. She pressed a hand to her chest and said, "Doesn't anyone knock around here? I'm almost having a heart attack every five minutes."

Artemis stepped into the light. She was in the form that disturbed Neona the most - I mean, it's kind of creepy to have a twelve year old girl as your mother. Neona freaking looked older than her own mother!

Artemis sat down next to the other girls and looked expectantly at her daughter with timeless eyes. "What wouldn't I understand?"

Neona looked nervously at her mother, then glanced at Thalia, who nodded encouragingly. She looked at Artemis and took a deep breath, then said as calmly as she could, "I'm tired of having to move around so much. I'm stuck with the same close-minded girls every day. As much as I love the other Hunters, I want to meet new people, and not have to carry my stuff around all the time."

Artemis considered her daughter carefully before turning to Thalia. "What do you think of this, Thalia?"

Thalia's brow furrowed. "Well," she said slowly, "I was thinking that maybe Neona could try out being at Camp for a bit."

Neona looked at Thalia in surprise. "You mean that half-blood camp that sucks at capture the flag?"

"Yeah." Thalia glanced at Artemis. "That is, if that's ok. I think it would be, because she wouldn't have to carry her stuff around, just keep it in her cabin, like she wanted, and she can meet new people, like she wanted, and she can still hunt and fight, like I'm sure she wants to."

Artemis pursed her lips. "Would you want to do this, Neona?"

Neona turned the notion over in her head. "Yes," she said. "I do want to try it. It obviously wouldn't be permanent, and I can get what I wanted, for better or for worse."

Her mother sighed. "I suppose we can try it." She stood up. "We leave at dawn to drop you off with Chiron. Make sure you have everything you want." And then she turned and left the tent.

Thalia and Neona looked at each other, and Neona grinned. She hadn't realized that this was what she wanted, but she was glad it would happen now.

"Well," Thalia said, standing. "Camp Half-Blood certainly hasn't ever had someone like you before." And she left the tent.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Neona found herself standing in the middle of the Artemis cabin, with all the other Hunters and her mother standing around her to say goodbye. One by one, they hugged her, and promised that they would return for her at the end of summer, with visits in between.<p>

"Remember," Artemis said seriously, after all but Thalia had left the cabin to wait outside. "No _boys_ or _men_ inside the cabin. Or around you. Just stick to females. And stay fit and healthy. And don't stay up too late. Don't drown. Don't lose. Don't-"

"Mother," Neona said. "I'll be fine."

Artemis smiled at her daughter. "I know." She gave her a last hug and left the cabin.

Thalia hugged Neona and grinned, saying, "You'll love it here. Everyone - almost everyone is great. Have fun."

"I will. Bye."

And Thalia left, leaving Neona alone in her new cabin.

The cabin was a nice size, and very nicely furnished. There was a loft bed, a wardrobe, and a mini fridge, and what Neona remembered was a TV and a computer, and there was even a private bathroom. Perfect, because Neona hated sharing bathrooms. In the back of the cabin was a sort of indoor jungle, with small trees and strange plants, and a tiny little stream bubbling through across the floor. What made it even better was that it was all Neona's.

She unpacked her things and brushed her auburn-brown hair out. Then she threw on jeans and a plain black T-shirt before bursting out the door into the air. She whooped and ran across the grass in her bare feet, elated that she didn't have to clean another deer or pack something. Neona stopped suddenly, realizing that the other kids around the cabins were giving her looks. She quieted and went to explore the Camp Half-Blood.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you all like it, review please, and will someone message me a list of campers that she can befriend? Cuz I can't remember them all, and I want her to have some people to meet besides the obvious ones. Thanks!<strong>


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